Maritime Transportation Security

In accordance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Milwaukee has reviewed and approved the first facility security plan in the Great Lakes region. This regulated facility is one of the first maritime facilities in the United States to receive U. S. Coast Guard approval under the full compliance review process.
The Maritime Transportation Security Act requires maritime facilities to conduct facility security assessments and develop facility security plans to deter, detect, and defend against potential terrorists and other criminal activities. On or before July 1, 2004, facilities must begin operating in compliance with their proposed security plans. This is an essential element of the Department of Homeland Security’s national strategy to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, to reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and to minimize the damage, and recover from attacks that may occur.
While the Maritime Transportation Security Act has elements designed to protect our entire marine transportation system, it places more requirements on the kinds of facilities and vessels identified as facing a higher risk of being involved in a transportation security incident resulting in significant loss of life, environmental damage, or economic disruption.

Representative Sanchez (D-CA) introduced a bill (H.R. 3788) to amend title 46, United States Code, to modify requirements applicable to the National Maritime Transportation Security Plan with respect to ensuring that the flow of cargo through United States ports is reestablished after a transportation security incident, to require the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to develop and implement a secure long-range automated vessel tracking system

Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team, the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maine Emergency Team-WMD, the Cities of Portland and South Portland, Portland Pipeline and many other area agencies and industry partners will be participating in a full-scale maritime security exercise in the port of Portland May 9 through May 12

The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure conducted a hearing on the 9/11 Commission Report and Maritime Transportation Security. John Lehman and Jamie Gorelick represented the 9/11 Commission. They conceded that the Commission devoted little of its time to maritime security, but suggested that it is the job of Congress to ensure that allocation of resources must be proportionate to the risk

On August 25, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will conduct hearing on the 9/11 Commission Report and Maritime Transportation Security. Witnesses have yet to be announced. (HK Law).

Representative Sanchez (D-CA) introduced a bill (H.R. 4355) to strengthen port security by establishing an improved container security regime, to expand on the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, to strengthen the Coast Guard port security mission, and for other purposes. In a Media Advisory, Representative Sanchez summarized the purposes of the bill. She also released an advance copy of the bill, called the Secure Containers from Overseas and Seaports from Terrorism Act or Secure

Senator Hollings, (D-S.C.), issued a press release stating that he and Senator McCain, (R-Ariz.), have requested that the General Accounting Office (GAO) investigate whether the Administration is properly implementing the mandates of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA). Hollings also reported that the Department of Homeland Security awarded $75 million to "high threat" ports nationwide and an additional $35 million for radiological defense at the ports of New York/Newark

Senator Hollings (D-SC) e is offering an amendment to the budget resolution that would, if adopted, transfer $2 billion of the proposed tax cut to pay for various requirements of the Maritime Transportation Security Act. Under his proposal, $450 million would be allocated for grants to ports and facilities, $150 million would be allocated for states and other entities, and $10 million would be used to develop seaport security training curricula.

By Charley Havnen
(Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard)
On July 1, 2003 the Coast Guard published in the Federal Register the long anticipated regulations concerning maritime port and vessel security. This is a major rulemaking printed in seven separate individual rulemakings. These rulemakings concern compliance with provisions of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) and implementation of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO's) International Ship and Port Facility

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the U.S. Coast Guard will sponsor an exercise in Gulfport, MS to evaluate the ability of the local port community, including public governmental agencies and private industry, to respond to and recover from a terrorist-related incident.
The exercise will test components of the local Area Maritime Security Plan that addresses coordination and communications between maritime stakeholders; regulated facilities; and local, state

The Federal Register Wednesday published the U.S. Coast Guard’s notice of proposed rulemaking amending its regulations on cruise ship terminal security.
This proposed rule would standardize screening activities for all persons, baggage and personal effects at cruise ship terminals while

The United States Congress this week enacted the strongest statement of support for the Jones Act and the American domestic maritime industry since the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. The measure was included as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R

About $100 million will be available to various port authorities, facility operators and state and local government agencies who have developed an Area Maritime Security Plan as part of the 2015 FEMA port security grant program.
Eligibility Criteria is established pursuant to the Maritime

Before port states became hyper-sensitive to security issues, shore leave was natural part of a seafarer’s life. You worked long and hard hours at sea, often for extended periods of time on long voyages. When the ship reached port, you went ashore and decompressed

Limiting the use of Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) smart cards and readers will create significant security vulnerabilities in our maritime infrastructure, the Smart Card Alliance Access Control Council said in comments submitted this week to the U.S. Coast Guard.

IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu welcomed his counterparts, Raymond Benjamin, Secretary-General, ICAO, and Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary-General, WCO, to IMO Headquarters on Monday, July 8, where the three considered the further enhancement of collaboration between the Organizations in the fields

Today the U.S. domestic maritime industry – comprised of more than 40,000 vessels built in American shipyards, crewed by American mariners, and owned by American companies – sent a letter to new U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx congratulating him on his

A Change of Command Ceremony was held at Reservation Point aboard Base San Pedro, Wednesday for the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team Los Angeles-Long Beach (MSST LA-LB).
During the ceremony Lt. Cmdr. Taylor Lam assumed the duties and responsibilities as commanding officer of MSST

A Hodgepodge of Maritime Security Laws Come into Question
Two recent reports have raised alarms about the security of our ports and the cargo that enters them by containers every day. The top North American container ports handle more than 35 million containers per year bringing vital goods to U.S

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on the National Maritime Domain Awareness Plan emphasizes the importance of maritime security in the global supply chain.
Hayden said recently in a prepard statement, "The White House has released the National Maritime Domain Awareness Plan

The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, chaired by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), will hold a hearing next week examining the impacts of federal environmental regulations on maritime transportation.
This will be the second part of a two-part hearing to review the status

McRoberts Maritime Security announced that it has contracted Access Cruise, Inc., for strategic sales support to the cruise industry. "As the cruise industry moves to another phase in its evolution, Access Cruise Inc.'s principal, Shannon McKee, a cruise industry veteran with wide contacts

The strategy released by the Ministry of Defence, outlines, for the first time, the UK’s approach to delivering maritime security at home and internationally, setting out how the UK organises and uses its extensive national capabilities to identify

The Coast Guard is scheduled to participate in training exercises Thursday, in the vicinity of Los Angeles Harbor and Long Beach Harbor.
Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) San Diego 91109 will partner with U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection

Crowley Maritime Corporation recently presented U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Midshipman Kevin Berto with the Maritime Security Enhancement Award during the Academy’s award convocation. Berto received the award, which was established by Crowley in 2003